Guide to US Gambling Ages by State
Among the most popular questions that are often received from the US, players would be- “What is the legal age for gambling in my area? And to help them with such a question, here is a guide in terms of gambling age across the different states in the US.
Legal Gambling Age in the Different States
The legal gambling age in the different states across the United States varies, setting at a minimum of 18 or 21. But this may change considering the type of gambling or if a player is playing in a Native American Casino or otherwise.
Casinos
- 21 years old – Alabama, Arizona, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, California, Connecticut, Florida, Delaware, Hawaii, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, Mississippi, Nebraska, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, South Carolina (cruise only), Texas, Vermont, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming
- 18/21 years old – California, North Dakota, Michigan, Ohio
- 18 years old – Georgia (cruises only), Minnesota, Idaho, Montana, South Dakota (Indian Casino), Oklahoma, Washington
Poker Rooms
- 18/21 years old – Delaware, California, Ohio, North Dakota
- 18 years old – Florida, Idaho, Georgia, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Montana, Oklahoma, Oregon, Virginia, South Carolina, Washington
- 21 years old – Arizona, Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Colorado, Hawaii, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, Mississippi, Nebraska, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, New Mexico, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Texas, Vermont, Utah, West Virginia, Wyoming, Wisconsin,
- 32 years old – Michigan
Bingo
- 16 years old – Oklahoma, Maine
- 18 years old – Arizona, Arkansas, Alabama, Colorado, Connecticut, California, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Kansas, Maryland, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming
- 19 years old – Alaska
- 21 years old – Nevada, Iowa, Texas
- 28 years old – North Carolina
- No limit – New Mexico
Lottery
- 18 years old – Arkansas, Connecticut, California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Virginia, Washington, Wyoming
- 19 years old – Nebraska
- 21 years old – Iowa, Arizona, Louisiana
Dogs & Horse Racing
- 18 years old – Alabama, Colorado, Connecticut, Arkansas, California, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Texas, Washington
- 19 years old – Nebraska
- 21 years old – Iowa, Arizona
Pari-mutuel
- 17 years old – Delaware
- 18 years old – Colorado, Connecticut, Arkansas, California, Florida, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, New York, North Dakota, West Virginia, Washington, Wyoming
- 21 years old – Kansas, Nevada, Arizona, Iowa, New Hampshire, Wisconsin, Texas
States that 18 and 21 Years Old can Gamble
In the majority of states, you have to be either 18 or 21 to play for real money. At present, there are 22 states where 18-years old could legally gamble and 35 states, which only allow 21 and above. But, it can vary depending on the casinos. For example, Native American casinos enjoy a special status in the United States.
States with Casinos that Allow18 Years Old
The following list of states allows anyone of the age of 18 to gamble in the casinos, given that restrictions are applied.
- Arkansas
- California
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Idaho
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Minnesota
- New Mexico
- New York
- Oklahoma
- Ohio
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- South Dakota
- Washington
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Minimum Legal Gambling Age for Local Casinos
Considering the state, one can get into a casino as early as 18 years old. In some cases, you may have to wait until you reach the age of 21.
Gambling Questions
Who Regulates the US Gaming Industry?
Local casinos
There is little nationwide licensing or regulation of US gambling as a whole, with the exception of tribal gaming, which is authorized by the 1988 Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.
Every US State is in charge of regulating their own gaming entities. Most of them have recognized lottery boards or gaming commissions to oversee the gaming activities in a given state.
Online casinos
The legality of casino sites and online poker in the US depends on the state that the player is in. There are some American states like Nevada, New Jersey, and Delaware that have set up their own state-wide casino and online poker sites.
Such state-run online casinos employ the best safety and security for players as they are subject to sterner licensing laws within the United States. There are also some offshore casinos that accept US players, or those that are regulated by different established e-gaming licensing bodies across the world.
How many Americans gamble on a Regular Basis?
Local casinos
A 2005 study showed that 85% of adults in the US gambled at least once in their lives, while 80% of them gambled in the previous year. The precise number of individuals gambling in the United States is hard to determine, but putting into consideration that gambling is projected to be a $250 billion annual industry that supports 1.8 million occupations nationwide, it definitely is a huge number.
Online casinos
In 2007, a Topline Findings report stated that 23 million Americans played poker on a regular basis, and 15 million of them played online for some real money. With those numbers, seven million played online poker at least once every month. The number of Americans gambling for real money on casino games online is projected to be much bigger.
Is there a Need to Pay Taxes on iGaming winnings?
Local casinos
Yes. The US government requires a 25% tax on gambling winnings that is over $600 at a horse track, and $1,200 at a slot machine or bingo game, while $1,500 in keno, and $5,000 in poker tournaments.
Online casinos
The same set of rules applies to online casino winnings, regardless of where the internet gambling company is based. The players may deduct losses to offset the amount of tax owed; however, a tax specialist needs to help with that decision. Additionally, state taxes differ in America, thus check with someone familiar with the tax situation of the given state.
